JERUSALEM, Apr 26 (NNN-MA’AN) – As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, Israel and the Palestinian territories are working to curb the spread of the disease among their populations.
15,298 Israelis have so far tested positive for the virus; 199 have died. In the West Bank, 480 cases have been diagnosed so far. Two have died. In Gaza, 17 cases have been diagnosed, eight of which have recovered.
The Israeli government approved a series of steps to ease the lock-down restrictions, including allowing group prayer, partial reopening of the economy and certain stores.
The government decided to relax curfew regulations on the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, a COVID-19 hot-spot, as well as, a curfew on Jerusalem neighbourhoods, with a high infection rate; a curfew was imposed on the Arab town of Deir al-Asad in the Galilee.
Israel’s Health Ministry set criteria for further easing the restrictions, considered more lenient than exit strategy models proposed earlier. The Health Ministry’s criteria calls for less than 300 new confirmed cases a day and less than 300 patients in serious condition at any given moment.
Israel’s Health Minister, Yaakov Litzman, told Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Saturday, that he plans to resign from his position, two days after announcing that he is weighing the option.
Litzman was heavily criticised for his handling of the crisis. In its early stages, he excluded the ultra-Orthodox community from the social distancing regulations, allowing public bath houses and synagogues to remain open, even promising that the messiah would come and put an end to the epidemic.– NNN-MA’AN
